Real-time updates and new takes on important news stories

Eurocontrol, a 38-country agency in Brussels that coordinates European flights, estimating only 11,000 flights will take place Friday in European airspace compared with 28,000 flights on an average day. Only 20,334 flights occurred Thursday, it said. About 100 Trans-Atlantic flights arrived in Europe of the 300 typically expected.

Poland’s main airport in Warsaw is likely to remain closed beyond 1600 GMT (noon ET) Friday as an ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano that is disrupting traffic in northern Europe is moving slower than previously thought, LOT Polish Airlines‘ spokesman said Friday. Only Krakow and Rzeszow airports are open in southern Poland, but LOT’s operations are severely disrupted, with aircraft grounded in airports throughout Europe and the U.S., Jacek Balcer said on news station TVN24.

Scandinavian airline SAS AB Friday said its Scandinavian hubs will remain closed during the whole day Friday. ”The continued closure of these airports follows the aviation authorities in Denmark, Norway and Sweden’s updated regulations due to the volcanic ash cloud,” SAS said. No flights will operate in Denmark or Sweden until Copenhagen and Stockholm airports will open, and whilst Oslo airport remains closed, limited traffic in northern Norway “only might resume” later Friday, SAS said, adding that it hasn’t been confirmed. ”At this moment SAS won’t estimate when air traffic will resume,” the airline said.

Germany’s flagship airline Deutsche Lufthansa said Friday it has cancelled flights to and from Frankfurt Airport until at least 1800 GMT, or 8 p.m. local time. Earlier Friday, German airport operator Fraport said all take-offs and landings at Frankfurt airport have been temporarily halted due to the spread of volcanic ash in German air space.

Low-price European airline Ryanair says it is cancelling a big chunk of its schedule Friday. From Ryainair’s announcement: All flights today to/from the U.K. are cancelled; all flights today to/from Ireland are cancelled (though Dublin-Cork-Kerry domestic flights may operate from 13:00 local time); all flights today to/from Denmark and Finland are cancelled; all flights today to/from Norway and Sweden are cancelled until 13:00 local time; All flights today to/from Belgium and Holland are cancelled until 17:00; All flights today to/from Northern France are cancelled until 17:00hrs. All flights to /from Northern Germany are cancelled until 17:00; all flights to/from airports in Central and Southern Europe (Spain, Southern France, Italy) are operating normally (unless to/from countries listed above).

The Irish Aviation Authority Friday said Irish airspace has reopened for flights, with an exception of the south coast of Ireland. As note in a previous post, Ryanair Holdings had earlier canceled all flights to and from the U.K. and Ireland for the day, but said it would operate domestic flights within Ireland. Aer Lingus said all remaining scheduled flights to and from Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Belfast and London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports up until 1200 GMT Friday have been canceled. (See Aer Lingus info.) Flights from Ireland to the U.S. are expected to operate with delays.

The World Health Organization says Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash from Iceland’s volcano starts raining down from the sky, the Associated Press reported, citing WHO spokesman David Epstein — those with asthma and respiratory diseases would be particularly at risk.

According to the U.K. Home Offce, as of 9:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) satellite observations of the ash from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull are showing a plume over the North Sea and Denmark, at 20–30,000 ft, nearing the eastern fringes of the U.K.

In today’s WSJ, a look at the science of volcanic ash:Volcanic ash isn’t really ash; it is composed of tiny bits of jagged rock and glass. It is hard and abrasive; it doesn’t dissolve in water, and can be spread by the wind. Ash from the Icelandic eruption was picked up by winds accompanying the Gulf Stream—the main current that affects easterly trans-Atlantic winds. Winds at a height of between 30,000 to 36,000 feet—just below the cruising elevation for jets—then carried the ash toward the U.K. and elsewhere in Europe. If the volcano continues to erupt, and if its ash has a high proportion of sulfur, it can mix with the water vapor in the air and form a weak broth of sulfuric acid, coming down as acid rain. Read the full article.

Where things stand: Air-traffic problems Friday shifted as the clouds were blown across Europe. While limited airspace was reopened in Scotland, Ireland and Sweden, air-traffic controllers began to close down airspace in Germany, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. See an updated photo gallery from airports in Europe.

The morning update from the U.K.’s National Air Traffic Control Service said it would restrict flying until 0000 GMT Saturday “at the earliest,” extending an existing ban that had spread across Europe as the volcano’s ash cloud drifted south. NATS plans another update at 1330 GMT (2:30 p.m. in London, 9:30 a.m. in New York), with its findings determining flight plans by airlines across the world.

Ashley Steel, who heads transport and infrastructure at KPMG, said the longer the disruptions continue, the harder it will be to clear the backlog of passengers on any spare capacity that may have existed on flights. ”[F]or an airline like British Airways every day of their fleet being grounded is likely to cost tens of millions of pounds,” Steel said. She said some businesses such as car hire firms, ferries, trains and hotels would benefit. Eurostar, which runs high-speed trains through the Channel Tunnel between London and the Continent, said seats were still available on Saturday and Sunday but tickets for Friday sold out Thursday evening. Photo: The Eurostar information board reads “all Eurostar trains fully booked Friday and Saturday” at the Gare du Nord train station in Paris on Friday. (Associated Press)

Ash Forecast: The ash plume threat will continue through Monday in Europe, according to forecasts from AccuWeather.com meteorologists released Friday at 8 a.m. ET. Accuweather said the the greatest risk to airplanes will be the northern British Isles into parts of Norway and Denmark.

Logistics providers and express parcel operators in Europe have turned to trucks to keep delivery delays to a minimum and limit the impact of the air traffic disruption in northern Europe, company officials said Friday, but much of the goods normally air lifted between Europe and the rest of the world won’t move until restrictions are lifted. Companies such as TNT, United Parcel Service and FedEx have been grappling with logistics problems since Thursday, when a huge cloud of volcanic ash originating from an eruption in Iceland forced civil aviation authorities from Ireland to Bulgaria to shut down or severely restrict their air spaces over fears that the ash could damage or down aircraft. Full article.

Possible clearing in U.K.: The U.K.’s National Air Traffic Control has this update: Restrictions preventing flights in controlled airspace over England and Wales will remain in place until 0700 (UK time) Saturday at the earliest. From 1900 (U.K. time) Friday, ATC restrictions will be lifted in a large part of Scottish airspace including Scottish airports, Shetland, Orkneys and also Northern Ireland. All passengers are advised to contact their airlines.

The first transatlantic flights from the U.S. to the U.K in two days should be able to depart later Friday after NATS, which oversees U.K. air-traffic control, says restrictions on “large parts” of Scottish airspace will be lifted from 1800 GMT. Glasgow airport has reopened while Manchester has been closed again after a brief burst of activity. Continental Airlines, which had canceled its morning flights to Europe from the U.S, seen restarting some overnight flights to Scotland that arrive Saturday. Ban on flights to the rest of the U.K. – stemming from the volcanic ash cloud – extended until 0600 Saturday “at the earliest.”

Counting the cancellations (updated): Half of Europe’s flights were canceled Friday due to the ash cloud produced by a volcanic eruption in Iceland, and major disruption is likely to continue Saturday, officials at the European air safety organization Eurocontrol said Friday in an afternoon update. The ash cloud, while not visible to the naked eye, stretches up to 35,000 feet and could cause a “catastrophic engine failure,” said Brian Flynn, deputy head of operations at Eurocontrol’s flow management division. While air traffic in southern Europe has largely been unaffected, the cloud is expected to move slightly south and east in the coming days, the officials said at a press conference in Brussels.

The airline industry began counting the cost of the huge volcanic ash cloud. The Air Transport Association, or IATA, which represents some 230 airlines and 93% of scheduled international global air traffic, said that at current levels of disruption, its initial and conservative estimate of the financial impact on airlines is in excess of $200 million a day in lost revenue. However, it said airlines would be hurt further as they will incur added costs for re-routing of aircraft, care for stranded passengers and aircraft at various

ports.

$200 million a day lost? The airline industry began counting the cost of the huge volcanic ash cloud. IATA, which represents some 230 airlines and 93% of scheduled international global air traffic, said that at current levels of disruption, its initial and conservative estimate of the financial impact on airlines is in excess of $200 million a day in lost revenue. However, it said airlines would be hurt further as they will incur added costs for re-routing of aircraft, care for stranded passengers and aircraft at various ports.

Photo: An employee at the Brussels headquarters of Eurocontrol, which oversees air safety operations throughout Europe, sat next to a map showing the current air traffic situation in Europe. (Reuters)

Where things stand: Many of Europe’s busiest routes will remain closed at least into Saturday as the fallout from a volcanic eruption in Iceland stranded thousands of travelers and started to impact global trade. The the U.K.’s National Air Traffic Control Service said it would restrict flying until 0600 GMT Saturday “at the earliest” over England and Wales, extending an existing ban. However, a ban on commercial flights will be lifted at 1800 GMT for a large part of Scottish airspace, which could allow the first flights between the U.S. and U.K. since Thursday morning. Continental Airlines, which had canceled its Friday morning flights to Europe from the U.S, is expected to restart some overnight flights to Scotland that arrive Saturday. Germany’s aviation security agency said it expects large parts of the country’s airspace to remain closed at least until Saturday 0600 GMT due to the spread of volcanic ash in the atmosphere. Read the full current story.

Travel plans disrupted: John Maloney, vice president for marketing and product planning for Volvo Cars of North America, was in Gothenburg, Sweden, for meetings this week at the car company’s world headquarters when the volcano eruption scuttled his plans to fly home to Newark, N.J.

So he and two colleagues drove from a Hertz rental car counter in Sweden at 7 a.m. Friday morning, motoring through Denmark and Germany before arriving at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. From his hotel window, he said he can see the area around a once-bustling bus and taxi stand that now “looks like a ghost town.”

“Right now I’m on a flight home Sunday but who really knows,” Mr. Maloney said. “It’s just one of those freak things. You think why me? How did this happen right on the day I was supposed to travel?”

Airlines are starting to outline plans to repatriate thousands of stranded travelers as the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland threatened to keep most of Europe’s busiest aviation routes closed for the weekend. (Read the full Saturday article.)

The cloud continues to drift south and west, and the U.K.’s National Air Traffic Services Ltd. said it would restrict flying until at least 1800 GMT on Saturday over England and Wales as conditions deteriorate further.

LOS ANGELES – The volcanic cloud of ash hovering over Europe is causing quite a scene in Hollywood and beyond.

With almost two-thirds of Europe’s flights grounded, cancelations and postponements were popping up across the entertainment landscape on Saturday as Icelandic scientists warned that volcanic activity had increased and showed no sign of abating.

Organizers of Coachella in Indio, Calif., tweeted that some acts were forced to pull out of the event, including British rockers The Cribs and Bad Lieutenant. It also appears unlikely that British synth singer Gary Numan will make it to Coachella for his Sunday slot.

Advertisement

“The last thing I expected this morning when I woke up was to hear that volcanic ash might be preventing us from flying to America,” Numan posted on his Web site.

Whitney Houston was forced to ditch a plane for a ferry across the Irish Sea to perform in Dublin. The R&B diva opted for the not-so-glamourous boat ride after no-fly orders shut down airports across Europe.

Here is a glance of the flight disruptions and airspace closures across Europe and beyond, compiled by the Associated Press. GMT is one hour behind London, and four hours ahead of New York. Also, see an updated WSJ map of closed airports.

U.K: All airspace closed until at least 0600GMT Sunday (2 a.m.EDT Sunday). British Airways canceling all short-haul flights to and from London airports Sunday.France: Paris airports and about two dozen others in northern France will remain closed until at least Monday morning.Germany: All airspace closed until at least 0600GMT Sunday.Switzerland: Swiss air space remains closed until 1800GMT Saturday.Nordics: All airspace in Sweden and Finland closed until further notice; airspace in Denmark and Baltics closed till at least 0000Australia: Qantas said its five flights that normally flies from Australia to Europe via Asian cities were flying Saturday and Sunday only as far as the Asian stops.

Australia: Qantas airline said its five flights that normally flies from Australia to Europe via Asian cities were flying Saturday and Sunday only as far as the Asian stops.

President Barack Obama canceled plans to travel to Poland for the funeral of President Lech Kaczynski. A White House statement cited hazardous flying conditions due to flying hazards caused by a cloud of volcanic ash that has closed airspace across northern Europe. ”I spoke with acting President Komorowski and told him that I regret that I will not be able to make it to Poland due to the volcanic ash that is disrupting air travel over Europe. Michelle and I continue to have the Polish people in our thoughts and prayers, and will support them in any way I can as they recover from this terrible tragedy. President Kaczynski was a patriot and close friend and ally of the United States, as were those who died alongside him, and the American people will never forget the lives they led,” the statement quoted the president as saying. Full article.

The Air Transport Association of America, or ATA, reported Saturday that out of 337 daily nonstop scheduled flights by U.S. carriers between the U.S. and Europe on Saturday, 282 originating and departing flghts have been cancelled — an 84% cencellation rate. That about matches Friday, when the ATA said about 280 out of 337 were cancelled, and is up from Thursday, when about 165 out of 337 were cancelled.

The Air Transport Association of America, or ATA, reported Saturday that out of 337 daily nonstop scheduled flights by U.S. carriers between the U.S. and Europe on Saturday, 282 originating and departing flghts have been cancelled — an 84% cancellation rate. That about matches Friday, when the ATA said about 280 out of 337 were cancelled, and is up from Thursday, when about 165 out of 337 were cancelled.

Switzerland: Swiss air space closed until 1400 GMT Sunday. Planes using instruments can fly across Switzerland as long as they stay above 20,000 feet (6,000 meters).

Italy: Airspace in northern Italy closed until 0600 GMT Monday.

Spain: Iberia canceled all of its European flights — except those linking Spain with Portugal, south Italy, Greece and Istanbul– until further notice.

Nordics: All airspace in Sweden closed until further notice; in Denmark till at least 0600 GMT; and in Finland until 1200 GMT Sunday. Only airspace in Norway’s far north is open, with 21 small airports in northern Norway open for travel.

U.K.: All airspace closed until at least 0600 GMT Sunday (2 a.m. EDT Saturday). British Airways canceling all flights in and out of the U.K. Sunday.Ireland: All airspace closed until at least 1200 GMT (8 a.m. EDT) Sunday.France: Paris airports and about two dozen others in northern France will remain closed until 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) Monday morning.Germany: All airspace closed until at least 0600 GMT Sunday.Austria: All airspace closed until at least 0000 GMT Sunday, but higher airspace (above 7,500 meters) gradually reopened beginning 1800 GMT Saturday.Belgium: Brussels Airlines canceled all flights until noon Monday. Belgian airspace closure until at least 0600 GMT Sunday.The Netherlands: All airspace closed until further notice.Switzerland: Swiss air space closed until 1400 GMT Sunday. Planes using instruments can fly across Switzerland as long as they stay above 20,000 feet (6,000 meters).Italy: Airspace in northern Italy closed until 0600 GMT Monday.Spain: Iberia canceled all of its European flights — except those linking Spain with Portugal, south Italy, Greece and Istanbul– until further notice.Nordics: All airspace in Sweden closed until further notice; in Denmark till at least 0600 GMT; and in Finland until 1200 GMT Sunday. Only airspace in Norway’s far north is open, with 21 small airports in northern Norway open for travel.

KLM, the Dutch subsidiary of Air France, says it has flown a plane through the cloud of volcanic ash covering Europe without suffering any damage. KLM carried out a test flight above Dutch air space Saturday. It says initial inspections afterward showed no damage or irregularities from the ash.The airline says it now plans to return seven airplanes without passengers to Amsterdam from Duesseldorf Sunday. “We hope to receive permission as soon as possible after that to start up our operation and to transport our passengers to their destinations,” said Chief Executive Peter Hartman, who was aboard Saturday’s flight.

No flights until Monday, say U.K. controllers: Says the most recent statement, out Sunday morning around 10 a.m. London time. “The volcanic ash cloud from Iceland is currently spread acoss the UK. Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the restrictions currently in place across U.K. controlled airspace will remain in place until at least 0100 (local time) tomorrow, Monday 19 April. There may be limited opportunity in Orkney and Shetland from 1900 (local time) today for some flights to operate under individual coordination with ATC. However, it is most unlikely that many flights will operate today and anyone hoping to travel should contact their airline before travelling to the airport.”

European airlines, which have already lost millions of euros in revenue due to a flying ban over much of Northern and Central Europe that has been extended into Monday, questioned the basis of the ban Sunday after some airlines successfully completed test flights. Air France-KLM and Deutsche Lufthansa AG were among those flying test flights without passengers, with KLM saying that early tests over the Netherlands and between Amsterdam and Duesseldorf, in Germany had flown without any problems and no damage to aircraft.

Emirates Airline, Dubai’s flagship carrier, is losing about $10 million a day in potential revenue because of flight disruptions caused by volcanic ash cloud from Iceland, the company’s president said Sunday. ”Our revenue loss is about $10 million a day. This is in addition to the $1 million a day we’re paying to accommodate Emirates passengers,” Tim Clark told Zawya Dow Jones by telephone. “In the five days since the disruption began, we’ve lost between 80,000-90,000 passengers,” he added.

Emirates Airline, Dubai’s flagship carrier, is

losing about $10 million a day in potential revenue because of flight

disruptions caused by volcanic ash cloud from Iceland, the company’s president

said Sunday.

“Our revenue loss is about $10 million a day. This is in addition to the $1

million a day we’re paying to accommodate Emirates passengers,” Tim Clark told

Zawya Dow Jones by telephone.

“In the five days since the disruption began, we’ve lost between 80,000-90,000

The latest from the U.S. airlines. The continued closure of European airspace because of spreading ash from the erupting volcano in Iceland caused Continental Airlines Inc. to cancel 70 flights between Europe and the U.S. as of Sunday morning, the Houston-based carrier said. Only flights from Newark, N.J. to Rome, Madrid and Lisbon are scheduled to operate Sunday, conditions permitting. Passengers can reschedule without financial penalty or request a refund if their flights were cancelled, Continental said. UAL Corp.’s United Airlines said it cancelled 56 flights Sunday, all eastbound transatlantic flights except those heading for Kuwait, Dubai and Rome. Monday westbound departures from Europe also were scrubbed, said the Chicago-based carrier.

Hundreds of thousands of passengers have found themselves stuck. In Europe, some enterprising travelers turned to social media Web sites like Twitter and Facebook to hitch rides across the continent. Hundreds began offering and seeking rides on a special “get me home” Twitter page, while stranded Swedes banded together on a Facebook page, created by the Swedish carpool group Skjutsgruppen, to make their way back to Scandanavia. Many went to greater extremes. British actor and Monty Python star John Cleese spent more than $5,000 to take a taxi from Oslo to Brussels in order to board a Eurostar train back to the U.K., according to Norwegian TV2. See the full article.

A British Airways Boeing 747 jet landed safely at Cardiff airport in Wales Sunday evening after a test flight of nearly two hours. BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh, a former pilot, was on board the flight. The plane took off from London’s Heathrow airport and headed West out over the Irish sea before looping back to land at Cardiff airport. The plane was collecting data on conditions in British airspace, which has been closed since Thursday due to a volcanic ash cloud from an eruption in Iceland.

United Parcel Service Inc. said Sunday that it has begun flying some Europe-bound Asian freight to Istanbul, Turkey, where it then will be trucked to its final destinations in a process expected to add up to three days to delivery schedules. The effort marks the latest contingency plan as cargo carriers deal with the flying ban over much of Northern and Central Europe stemming from a volcanic eruption in Iceland. The ensuing ash cloud has grounded passenger planes as well. ”We just don’t know what the dispersal of this ash cloud is going to be” and when air-space will be opened, UPS spokesman Norman Black said Sunday.

Comments (5 of 7)

It is great experience for me to read this post but If you want a secure and cheap place for car parking than Glasgow airport parking is best place for you.Get a true reflection on car park security, location, facilities, transfers and price when parking your car at Glasgow airport. Also save money when you compare and pre-book.

Chris Fryer

6:21 am January 12, 2011

Chris Fryer wrote:

It is great experience for me to read this post but If you want a secure and cheap place for car parking than Glasgow airport parking is best place for you.Get a true reflection on car park security, location, facilities, transfers and price when parking your car at Glasgow airport. Also save money when you compare and pre-book.

7:57 pm April 17, 2010

Cliff wrote:

My daughter made it out of JFK Friday night & is now stranded in Madrid. She can't as yet get to her destination of Venice. Iberia is putting her up for a night, but then she's on her own & going crazy cuz she can't phone or text. I hope she stays another night in Madrid to see if this blows over...

Bill, good luck on your European vacation.

7:42 pm April 16, 2010

Louis wrote:

Take a look at this when a British Boeing 747 ran into a volcanic ash cloud over Jakarta. All FOUR ENGINES QUIT and the windshield was scratched so badly you couldn't see out of it. Finally, the paint on the tail of the aircraft was scoured down to bare metal!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxhiJnhI-p4

5:15 pm April 16, 2010

San Francisco wrote:

Bill, sorry to hear about your vacation to Paris. You seem to have a great attitude, I wish all travelers were as empathetic